Kristopher Tapley, whose film awards blog In Contention is a must-read in Hollywood, has joined Variety as Co-Awards editor.

Tapley will help lead the publication’s awards coverage, providing daily, on-the-spot coverage under the In Contention banner on Variety.com as well as a weekly report in the magazine with fresh content during the film awards season. His comprehensive coverage will also include awards predictions.

He will work closely with Variety awards editor Tim Gray and deputy awards editor Jenelle Riley and will report directly to Claudia Eller, co-editor-in-chief. Tapley will start August 24, kicking off his job by attending and helping cover the Telluride Film Festival as the awards season gets under way.

“We are so excited that Kris is joining our great awards team,” said Eller. “I have always been a huge fan of his strong voice and astute analysis of the industry’s closely watched awards race.”

Variety publisher Michelle Sobrino said she is thrilled that Tapley’s valuable contributions will further bolster the dominant role that Variety plays in the awards season.

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“Over the past few years, Kris Tapley and In Contention have provided Awards Season pros and passionate observers with sharp, lively analysis that’s matched by his digital savvy. The combination is irresistible for anyone who loves movies,” said Sobrino.

Tapley, who has covered the film awards landscape for the past 15 years, launched In Contention in 2005 as a premier destination for awards season coverage and analysis. He brought the brand with him to HitFix in 2011, serving as editor-at-large. Tapley’s strategic partnership with the website ended last month.

In Contention was previously affiliated with Variety in 2007, when Tapley worked as an awards analyst and ran an awards blog called Red Carpet District. Variety movie critic Guy Lodge joined In Contention in 2008, working alongside Tapley for six years until Lodge was hired by Variety last year.

“Variety could not be a better fit for In Contention,” said Tapley. “I’m honored to bring this brand to a 110-year-old institution and help Hollywood’s showbiz bible own the awards coverage space. Not only that, but a decade after writing my first words for the outlet, it feels like I’m coming home.”

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